|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Ghana NCD Alliance, in partnership with People Living with Non-Communicable Diseases and Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development has commended President John Dramani Mahama for the launch of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as “MahamaCares.”
They described the President’s initiative as visionary and humanitarian commitment.
“The President’s decision to personally donate six months of his salary as seed funding reflects a profound understanding of the urgency of the noncommunicable disease crisis in Ghana,” a joint statement by the group has said.
It said at the official launch on April 29, 2025, President Mahama spoke to the growing public health threat posed by NCDs – such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, kidney and heart diseases and stroke.
The President urged corporate Ghana to align their corporate social responsibility strategies with this critical national priority.
“As a further demonstration of high-level commitment, President Mahama has directed all government appointees to donate one month of their salaries toward the MahamaCares Fund,” the statement said.
“When a former President, now President of Ghana openly shares his personal journey with chronic illness, it turns statistics into stories—reminding us that NCDs are not distant threats but a present reality,” Ms Martha Coffie, a person living with multiple NCDs, has stated.
She said the President’s heartfelt testimonial rooted in his personal experience offered a rare and powerful advocacy tool, humanising the often-abstract burden of NCDs and calling for collective action across sectors and communities.
Ms Cofie said: “For years, we have witnessed the crippling financial burdens imposed by NCDs, with many Ghanaians facing insurmountable healthcare costs and limited access to treatment.
“In this light, it is imperative to explore synergies with existing initiatives such as the NCD Policy and Strategy which has recommended the establishment of a National NCD Fund and to ensure that this new fund complements, rather than duplicates, ongoing efforts. A coordinated approach could maximize impact while maintaining efficient use of resources.”
Ms Coffie said while MahamaCares represented a landmark moment in Ghana’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage, stakeholders should stress the importance of ensuring this initiative do not focus solely on curative care.
She said: “As the initiative is gathering momentum, we humbly recommend the inclusion of preventive measures – ranging from public education on the NCDs risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, and regular health screening for early diagnosis and referrals.
“Preventive measures such as increase in prices of health-harming products, marketing restrictions, placing health warning labels on food products among others will reduce pressure on the fund, reduce the number of NCDs cases reported at the hospital in the medium to long term.
She recommended that a portion of excise tax revenue should be allocated directly to MahamaCares, creating a sustainable and equitable funding pipeline.
“This aligns with international models such as the U.S. Affordable Care Act, which emphasizes preventive care, equitable access, and public-private collaboration,” the statement said.
It added, that, “Ghana has an opportunity to draw lessons from this model to build a resilient, inclusive NCD response system. “We therefore call for bold preventive measures to be woven into MahamaCares.
“These should include public education on risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, routine health screenings and early referrals, and fiscal policies like excise tax increases on health-harming products, warning labels, and marketing restrictions.
These interventions will alleviate long-term pressure on the fund by reducing disease incidence and associated treatment costs.
Mr Essel Francis Cudjoe, a person living with diabetes, also in appreciation to the President said: “We are thankful to the President, Mr John Mahama. for initiating a fund to support us and showing that we are not alone.
He reminded the President to prioritise NCD prevention, which described as “a cornerstone of a meaningful response to non-communicable diseases.
“We extend our gratitude to all individuals, institutions, and private sector partners, including Cal Bank, a growing network of retired medical professionals, the task force, and technical teams—whose contributions and involvement are helping to bring this initiative to life,
“As the global community prepares for the upcoming 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health in September 2025, Ghana’s proactive stance through MahamaCares could serve as a model of national leadership and multisectoral commitment toward the achievement of global NCD targets.
“We called on all citizens to unite behind this initiative, promote its mission, and raise awareness about the critical need for early detection, prevention, and treatment of NCDs.
Source: GNA
